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by marvelsamwilson



Category: Thor (Movies)
Genre: Arranged Marriage, Canon Divergence - Thor: Ragnarok (2017), F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fanart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-23
Updated: 2017-12-23
Packaged: 2019-02-18 21:26:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13108845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marvelsamwilson/pseuds/marvelsamwilson
Summary: Canon-divergence from Thor: Ragnarok.Sif returns to Asgard after the events of The Dark World, only to find things in disarray and Odin!Loki running a deception on the people of Asgard. She has to decide whether she should help the floundering prince, or hurt him...





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**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lite_Reads](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lite_Reads/gifts).



> Happy Holidays! I hope you enjoy the gifts, I tried to combine a few of the prompts you suggested! Accompanying fan art at the end of story

“Home.”

The word sounded unfamiliar and foreign coming from her mouth after so long. The Lady Sif had not in fact been home, here in Asgard, for several years now. The last time she was here, she helped Thor lead a mutiny against his father to save his human girlfriend, Jane Foster, and stop the Dark Elves from conquering the universe. But she hadn’t seen him since, and she feared that she would be branded a traitor to Asgard and thrown in prison. 

Instead, when confronted by the royal guard, she was given a different fate: Peacekeeper. Odin had declared that Sif would be sent on several peacekeeping missions throughout the realms, to help calm the resurging unrest caused by Malekith’s tyranny. Sif could hardly refuse, feeling relief that she would not be imprisoned for her actions, and instead could still serve the land she loved.

She and a small band of capable warriors headed onto their spacecraft and out into the cosmos, not to return until their goal was accomplished. It took several years of travelling, fighting, and diplomatic meetings to finally quell the chaos of the Nine Realms, but it was something that Sif embraced and threw her being into. It was all she could do to help restore order, and to steady her grief...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sif had just returned from her last mission on Nidavellir, tired and weary from years of travel, but fulfilled and full of purpose. Her and her band of warriors were heading past the royal courtyard, when something stopped Sif in her tracks. She had to do a double-take to be sure, but her eyes did not deceive. There it was, a giant statue in Loki’s image, towering over the masses.

“What's the meaning of this?” she asked one of the guards on duty. 

“The allfather commissioned this statue in memory of his fallen son.”

Alarm bells in Sif’s head immediately set off. This could be only the work of one person. She made her way to the palace and royal throne room with haste, before being stopped at the doors by two guards.

“I need to speak with the allfather!”

“We’re sorry, Lady Sif, but the allfather isn’t taking visitors at the moment. You’ll have to come back another time.”

Sif turned her back and feigned walking away, and then in an instant spun back around into a double-armed lariat, taking out both guards at once.

“Forgive me,” she whispered as she kicked in the doors. 

The allfather was lounging suspiciously lazily in his throne chair, legs hanging over the edge. It was not a position Sif could ever remember seeing Odin in; he’d never deign to sit so casually in royal furnishment.

Odin bolted up at the notice of the angrily oncharging Sif, shouting “NO VISITORS ALLOWED AT THIS TIME!”

Sif slowed not a step, reaching behind her and unsheathing her sword, pointing it directly at the neck of Odin, whom she now hovered over.

“One more lie out of you, and it will be the last words you ever utter.”

Odin’s throat visibly gulped at the threat, and the familiar whirl of green magic revealed the culprit underneath: Loki. 

“Before you kill me Sif, please let me explain...” he pleaded. Instead, the sharp clang of hard metal from the bottom of Sif’s sword struck his head.

“Woman!!” he yelped in pain.

“Do not ‘Woman’ me, son of Odin. You are lucky that I let you live at this moment,” Loki rubbed at his temple, still in pain, as Sif continued, “I’ve been gone for two years, fighting and killing on countless worlds, thinking I was doing the bidding of the allfather, to find out it was all a lie. To find out that for the second time, I...” Sif gritted her teeth through the next words, “mourned you in vain.”

Loki’s face dropped and he couldn’t bring his eyes to meet Sif’s. A long while passed before he could work up the courage to speak again.

“I’m sorry, Sif.”

“Save it!” she spat back at him.

He was out of options - now was the time, for once in his life, to tell the truth.

“I never forgave myself for what I did to you the first time. My apparent death, the war on Midgard, my imprisonment - all of it. I reached a point of no return, where my path and yours could no longer intertwine.” Sif rolled her eyes as he continued, “It was the hardest thing I had to do, letting go. And when I agreed to help Thor save that human and stop the Dark Elves...I knew I could not come back here. At least not in my present state.”

“So instead you come back and play as king? It’s what you always wanted, isn’t it?” Sif asked, disgusted.

“I did what needed to be done,” he grimly retorted, “Once I learned of Odin’s condition, and that he didn’t have much longer with us, I knew I had to what was best for our people.”

Sif rolled her eyes, “How benevolent of you.”

“I know you’ll never believe me on this, but I really did have what was best for everyone in mind. Including you. That’s why I sent you away to be peacekeeper for Asgard; I knew there was no one better suited for the job.”

“You just didn’t want me here to expose your deception.”

“That, too.” Loki admitted.

“Finally a truth from the silvertongue himself.”

Loki stayed silent at that last barb. 

“You’ll have to do it again; tell the truth to the people of Asgard. No more lies, you will reveal your deception to the citizens of our land and they will decide your fate.”

“They’ll rip me limb from limb!!” Loki yelped.

“It’s no less than what you deserve. I’ll be standing there the whole time to make sure you don’t try to escape your way out of this one.”

Loki sighed and resigned himself to her command. In his last order as Odin, he sent word for a royal announcement to take place right away, for all of Asgard.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In a matter of hours, all of Asgard was gathered outside of the royal palace, where Loki, as Odin, came out to speak to the crowd from the safety of one palace’s balconies. Beside him stood Sif, stern faced and arms folded, and five of the king’s royal guard.

“Asgard,” Loki’s voice as Odin boomed out to the crowd below, “I have come to you, my people, to deliver news of the utmost importance,” he nervously looked back towards Sif, who offered him no expression and nodded for him to continue.

“In the battle with the dark elves, the allfather fell weak, as he used the last of his powers keeping Malekith at bay,” the faces in the crowd in the looked on with silent confusion, “so in his place, it was I, Loki, who took the throne of king and helped restore peace back to the Nine Realms!” 

As he spoke the last word, the whir of magic circled him and the image of Odin dissipated, revealing Loki in his place. There was an immediate, collective gasp from the audience down below, that quickly turned into a loud ruckus. People were yelling and screaming up at the balcony, a few of the voices asking “Where is the allfather??” and “Who shall lead us now??”

“The allfather is safe in a secure location, living out the last of his days in peace,” he answered, “I assure that I have everything under control.”

Others in the crowd began throwing things aimed at the prince, causing him to put up a shield of magic to protect himself and the others on the balcony.

“This is madness!” he hissed at Sif, who remained unbothered.

“It’s what you deserve,” she said, coldly.

“How am I to stop this chaos??” 

“You figure it out, O’ Great Leader.”

Loki turned away from the shield maiden, annoyed at her lack of help in the situation. The noise outside the palace was growing to a riot level, and Loki knew he had to do something.

He whispered in the ears of a few of the royal guards before he stepped back out to confront the masses.

“SILENCEEEEE!” he screamed, and the crowd obeyed, still somehow respectful of the position he served.

Loki spoke again, “In order to serve you, the great people of Asgard, and to protect this great land of ours, I am happy to announce that the lady Sif has agreed to wed me, and we will become your new King and Queen of Asgard! We will lead Asgard back into prosperity as the leader of the Nine Realms!!”

“What?!?!” Sif yelled from behind him, drawing her sword before the royal guards pulled her away off the balcony and back inside the palace before she could be seen.

The crowd murmured about for a moment, before breaking out in a raucous applause. Loki took that as he queue to leave, and bowed quickly to the citizens of Asgard before departing.

 

 

Loki quickly made his way back inside the palace, avoiding the gaze of Sif who was still being held back by royal guards.

“LET ME GO!” she raged, “OR I’LL KILL BOTH HIM AND ALL OF YOU!”

“Calm yourself, Sif. You told me to take care of it, so I did. This is the best course of action for everyone involved.” 

He motioned to the guards to free her and let them take their leave, leaving him and Sif alone. He made sure they took her sword with them, though, as he was unafraid but not a fool.

“Loki, I’ve known you to be delusional, but even this is a lot for you. There is no way in this universe I would ever wed you,” Sif told him, rage still simmering with every word.

“My lady, I know you harbor ill feelings toward me at the moment -”

“That’s an understatement!” Sif, interrupted.

“- but I also know you to always put what is best for Asgard first. And this is what’s best for Asgard at the moment. Thor is off doing god knows what, and hasn’t been here to lead. My fa...” he caught himself, “Odin is on Midgard, living out his twilight years, and throne is empty. Your brother abandoned his post, and is still a fugitive of the throne. I would ask of you to be my bride, not in truth, but only in appearance, to help restore some order to your people - to our people. They need us right now.”

‘What’s best for Asgard’ - the words hit Sif like a brick in the gut. Loki knew her well, so he knew if there was one thing he could ever use against Sif, it was her unquestioned loyalty to her homeland.

She felt manipulated and upset, but at the same time she knew that Loki was right. There was no one else available to rule Asgard in Thor’s absence, and even when and if Thor returned, he had shown no interest in wanting to take the throne that was promised to him. She still didn’t trust Loki, but she knew that Asgard needed a king, lest their enemies find out that the rule of Asgard remained in question and they could plan to attack.

“I’ll do it,” she started, Loki’s face lighting up. Before he could comment, she continued, “But know that this is not for you, this is for Asgard and its people only.”

“I understand, and I accept my lady. You will not regret this.”

“I already do,” Sif replied curtly, turning and leaving out of the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next day Loki had arranged for a large celebration feast in the great hall of the royal palace, with all of Asgard’s royal elite in attendance - including Sif’s close friends Hogun, Fandral, and Volstagg. She knew they were just as confused by the announcement as she, and that they would uncover the deception if given the chance to question her, so she greeted them all quickly before they had the chance, and took her seat at the head of the table next to Loki.

When Loki grabbed her hand to raise in a toast, Sif flinched at his familiar touch, and the feelings it brought back along with it. His touch was one that she never expected to feel again, one that had a deep history between them.

They had their dalliances and flings throughout their thousands of years of knowing each other, and Sif had grown quite fond of Loki over that time. They spent many a year seeing each other in secret, careful not to let anyone find out about their bond. It was unbecoming of a prince to be seen carrying on with a woman he wasn’t betrothed to; princes would only be set to wed in arranged marriages to a bride whom was hand selected by the king and queen themselves.

So they kept their romance hidden, and light, to protect themselves and the positions they occupied. Not that it never crossed Sif’s mind; in an honest moment she would admit that she often wondered if they could work - the shield maiden and the youngest prince - in an official capacity. But there always seemed something to keep that from becoming a reality - be it her training or his studying or the perception of the youngest son of Odin betrothing a shield maiden; there was always something. And after the revelation of Loki’s true parentage, his apparent death, and subsequent attack on Midgard, Sif knew it was a dream lost. She mourned the loss of Loki in what she thought was his death, and the loss of what could’ve been when she learned him to be still alive.

So how then did she find herself here, at the great hall surrounded by friends and the person she had once hoped to marry, the man she once loved, now becoming a reality, and feel nothing but contempt for him?

Loki could sense the unease in his bride to be, and quickly called for a end to the night’s festivities, before it drew on too long in the night.

Sif spoke nary a word to him when they retired to the royal chambers - instead she retired to the separate quarters she had requested as one of the conditions of agreeing to the marriage. Loki, disappointed by the request but eager to keep Sif appeased, acquiesced to her demands. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Over the next few weeks, Sif and Loki in a number of royal engagements related to their impending nuptials as word spread throughout the nine realms. Loki wanted the wedding to happen quickly to help stabilize Asgard’s position; Sif wanted it to be over as quickly as possible. While in public Sif put on a cheerful face to help sell the ruse, in private she remained icy towards Loki and the idea of the marriage. Their conversations had been kept brief and curt, Sif not intending to speak to Loki anymore than she had to. 

A few days before the wedding, Sif and Loki found themselves in the same king’s bedroom, which Loki had taken great care to completely redecorate and remove all signs of the previous owners. They were getting ready to attend another engagement feast, when Loki said to her, “I have a gift for you.” He gestured at the bed, and the medium sized box sat atop, tied neatly with a gold bow. 

Sif sighed at the present, thinking it to be another attempt from Loki at winning back her favor. She begrudgingly tugged at the bow and opened the box, gasping at what she saw inside. 

“Oh Loki, it’s gorgeous.” 

What laid before Sif was familiar at once, she had noticed Queen Frigga wear it on several occasions: a beautiful chartreuse dress, made from the finest quality of Asgardian fabric, studded with several sparkling jewels.

In that moment, Sif could sense how much this wedding, real or not, would mean to Loki. He had lost his mother, and in a sense, the only brother and father he had ever known as well, all in a very short span of time. Sif would represent the one thing to him he didn’t have anymore - family.

“Mother loved that dress,” he spoke quietly, “It’s a perfect re-creation. The real one I have locked away in the keep with the rest of her belongs. Their too much to keep around, too much of a reminder...” his voice trailed off.

For a moment, the anger and hostility she felt towards him subsided, and she saw what she had been scared to see for so long - the man she once loved. 

“I'm sorry, Sif. I never should have gone away. But I had my reasons.”

The words cut at her like a sharp blade, and before she knew it she could feel the anger rising once again. Hot tears streamed down her face, Sif unable to contain her emotion any longer.

“YOU LET ME THINK YOU WERE DEAD!” she screamed through running tears, “You never sent word to me, not once, to let me know you survived!” She said the last words as her two fists beat against his chest, causing him to grab her wrists to stop her. 

“How could I let you see me? Let you see me for what I truly am!?” His voice was trembling and his body shaking. “This is what I am...” he whispered through tears. The skin on Sif’s wrist began to cool under his touch as his skin tone faded from the familiar hue she knew to that of a deep blue. His eyes grew red and deep, sunken into his face. She had never seen his Jotun form; his eyes were pointed to the floor, refusing to meet hers. 

She pulled herself closer to him, and met his lips with hers. They were cold, and unlike she remembered, but the way he returned her kiss, desperate and passionately, was undoubtedly his. She could feel the tension and pain easing from his form, and his grip on her wrists released as he pulled her body into his, their bodies fit together like a puzzle.

When their lips finally broke apart, his visage returned to the one Sif had always known. Embarrassment and shame took place in his demeanor, as Sif could tell he still did not feel comfortable showing that side of himself.

“Loki, I never thought you to be a monster. Even when I found out about your parentage, it never changed the way I felt about you,” she caressed his face softly, “and I still would have accepted you for who you are, if given the chance.”

“I’m sorry, Sif.”

“I forgive you, Loki.”

They embraced again, holding each other tightly, and it didn’t take long before their clothes had been discarded and their bodies found each other in bed. It had been too long since Sif felt him in this way; the touch she had closed herself off from now brought her to life, her skin tingling under his fingertips. Sif gasped loudly when he entered her, her fingernails digging deep into his back, beckoning him closer. Their bodies soon found the familiar rhythm they had shared over many of years. The ferocity and urgency at which they moved suggested that they had both missed each other and this intimacy equally. 

When they both reached climax one after the other, they collapsed into a heap into the soft furs that covered the King’s bed, their limbs still entangled. They laid silently together for a long while after, not needing to share a word between them. It had been so long, they spent the rest of the night making up for lost time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The wedding day arrived and all of Asgard filled the royal courtyard to witness. Onlookers cheered and applauded as they passed by, and the younger kids threw flowers at their feet. Loki wore his traditional greens along with his fur adorned cape and smaller golden horns. Sif was fit perfectly in Frigga’s dress replica, which included a cape and a silver wreath she wore in her hair. The Warrior Three stood in line at the top of platform, welcoming her, smiling genuinely when they saw how truthfully happy she looked.

Loki took his bride’s arm as they reached their spot on the platform, and whispered softly to her, “Welcome home, Sif.”

[](https://ibb.co/bBM3QR)


End file.
